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. 2003 Mar;84(3):1734–1749. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3495(03)74981-9

FIGURE 17.

FIGURE 17

Epifluorescence videomicroscopy frames of DOPC vesicles put under tension upon adhesion to beads, in water. Latex beads covered by the polycation poly(allylamine hydrochloride) strongly adhere to DOPC membranes carrying residual negative charges. (Top row), When the excess area of a vesicle is sufficiently large, a latex bead is completely covered by the phospholipid membrane. The decrease in the surface-to-volume ratio resulting from the membrane surface lost to the bead tenses the vesicle. Frames are taken (from left to right) at t = 0, 1.12, 1.72, 1.76, 1.80, 1.88, and 3.40 s. (Bottom row), When the excess area of a vesicle is limited, the bead surface is only partially covered by membrane. The bar in the first frame in each row corresponds to 3 μm. The beads, unmarked initially, are manipulated using laser tweezers. They become visible when the membrane (containing the dye di6ASP-BS) wraps around them (images by A. Fery, Max Planck Institute, by permission).